An Uncomfortable History

I first published this post on November 10, 2016.  I've been thinking of posting it again, and I feel the time is right.  If the following post makes you uncomfortable, please come back tomorrow, when I will resume my blog's normal light heartedness.

Still with me?

In 2016, I blogged this in connection with the rising tide of hatred expressed against Jews.  Now, the focus has changed and there is a cry for justice and change in cities and towns throughout our country.

This brings us to have to examine a history of our country that has many uncomfortable moments.

On some days, it seems that hate oozes from every dark corner of this country.   People of hate have been encouraged, thinking that finally, the conditions are right once again for their hate to blossom.

Historic hate can be so easily forgotten.  Some of the history of my community has been forgotten.  It's time to remember.  We tried in 2016, but the lesson did not take.

Have you ever thought about what happens when hate becomes accepted, and public? How about here in Binghamton, New York, a small city in upstate New York?

You don't need to look too far, because it happened almost 100 years ago.

This looks like an ordinary cross, doesn't it?  It's not.

Do you think that hate was never out in the open in our great country?  History tells us it was.   Parts of our history (from slavery to lynchings) remind us of the evil portions of our history.  Now it's still there, but being exposed by modern technology (such as cell phone cameras).

One such example is an organization I do not even wish to name completely.  I will simply refer to it as the Klan.

This organization exists today, still trying to spread its message of hate.  At one time, it was a lot bigger, and people openly boasted of their membership.  Now, in our times of protest, they have come out again.

Did you know that the Klan had a complicated relationship with the area around Binghamton, New York, an area which is my adopted hometown?  We think of the Klan as an organization whose strongholds were in the South, but, for a time, that was not true.

In the 1920's, many people were afraid, just as they are today.  In our area, they were fearful of a rapid increase in immigration. People were afraid of losing jobs, of losing power, of losing things important to them.  The Klan had a presence in our "Twin Tiers" through the 20's and 30's.

These pictures were taken at an exhibit at the Bundy Museum in Binghamton, which ran in November of 2016.

This is a "heroic" recruitment posters.  At one time, in fact, the New York headquarters of this hate organization was located in Binghamton.

This is a letter on official letterhead boasting of their existence, and asking that someone write away for recruitment material.  Today, someone would contact them via social media or their website.  They are active on both.

This organization came complete with a secret language and even songs.  (I looked for this on You Tube, but the video postings are all from members of this organization.  I will not link to them.)

For some reason this picture kept posting sidewise - on the bottom is a Klan business card.

Wall near where the Klan temple was located, Binghamton, New York

You may be wondering about that cross at the beginning of my post.   That cross was once part of the Klan temple at the corner of Henry and Wall Street in Binghamton.  And, in a great irony (or perhaps intentional), that area of Binghamton now holds a monument in honor of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Also on display was a newsletter of this organization, published in 1924. It talked about what would happen if the Catholics took over the United States.  I was young, but I can remember how John F. Kennedy, running for President in 1960, had to fight anti-Catholic feelings.  There was also an advertisement page, and ads were plentiful, including for a printer of invites to weddings and other special occasions.

The fight against hate never ends.  Now, there is a movement to declare the Klan as a terrorist organization.

They aren't the only hate organization that needs our attention, though..

In order to make progress we must remember where we were, and never go back there again.

Keep that in mind, as history is made before our eyes.